Is beautiful best?

6charlong · 01-03-2011, 09:15 PM

My wife got me a netbook for Christmas and she let me pick which one. I decided on an HP Mini 210—because it was beautiful. The netbooks all had about the same features, more or less, but I picked the beautiful one even though it cost $30 more. Now I have a dilemma: is beautiful best I wonder? Should appearance play any role in electronics? True, these machines are part of our lives now, there is no doubt about that, but why should the engineers who design these tools have to concern themselves with aesthetics?

tubemonkey · 01-03-2011, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6charlong

Now I have a dilemma: is beautiful best I wonder? Should appearance play any role in electronics?

All things being fairly equal, then yes. Go for looks.

6charlong · 01-03-2011, 10:01 PM

But what does this say about our eBook readers? I personally like the looks of the 3rd Generation Kindle but not the 1st or 2nd generation. I liked the looks of the Sony PRS 505 but I bought a 500 despite it's looks. Should our reviews try to assess the aesthetics of these devices? How about the appearance of the way the Publishers format the books? Are we beyond the time when we were so happy to get a 6-inch page that we excused everything else?

happy_terd · 01-03-2011, 10:08 PM

Always go for looks.

Style is everything.

maianhvk · 01-03-2011, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by happy_terd

Always go for looks.

Style is everything.

can't agree more

after all the time spent considering the technology, function and price and quality, I always end up picking the most beautiful looks

bhartman36 · 01-03-2011, 11:31 PM

I rarely consider aesthetics when I buy electronics. (That's why I've had an Archos for so long and refused to buy an iPod.) It's a piece of hardware. I'm going to, at most, type on it, not make sweet, sweet love to it.

In a theoretical world where two pieces of electronics from different companies have exactly the same specs, then sure, go for the pretty one. But how often does that happen?

Sweetpea · 01-04-2011, 04:15 AM

For me, it depends. If something is looking gorgeous, but works like ****, or it will restrict my using it, I'll not buy it. (hence, I'll never buy an apple product, I can't stand their attitude).

But, if something looks like ****, but works gorgeous, I'll still not buy it. The eye also wants something.

For everything in between, it all depends. Is it worth to pay a bit more for something I really like the looks of (such as was the case of the OP), is lacking that feature worth it, etc. I couldn't say it in general, it's something I decide on an item by item basis...

SolRaven · 01-04-2011, 04:18 AM

It's not who you are it's what you wear....

SolRaven · 01-04-2011, 04:18 AM

.... I mean, who really cares who you are?

SolRaven · 01-04-2011, 04:21 AM

If my readers weren't gorgeous, I'd probably buy hard covers because hard covers are gorgeous... at least w/o the dust jackets.

TGS · 01-04-2011, 02:11 PM

As William Morris said, "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." Of course, if it's both then that's even better.

desertblues · 01-04-2011, 03:03 PM

' Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.'
I like things to be challenging, interesting and sometimes that means beautiful, but it can also be ugly.
Well, and if it is interesting but functions not quite up to standard; well.........(shrug).

wodin · 01-04-2011, 03:27 PM

Ohhhh ... SHINY!

tubemonkey · 01-04-2011, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertblues

' Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.'

wodin · 01-04-2011, 03:33 PM

Head for the hills! It's a chupacabra!

01-03-2011, 09:15 PM	#1
6charlong friendly lurker Posts: 896 Karma: 2436026 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: US Device: Kindle, nook, Apple and Kobo	Is beautiful best? My wife got me a netbook for Christmas and she let me pick which one. I decided on an HP Mini 210—because it was beautiful. The netbooks all had about the same features, more or less, but I picked the beautiful one even though it cost $30 more. Now I have a dilemma: is beautiful best I wonder? Should appearance play any role in electronics? True, these machines are part of our lives now, there is no doubt about that, but why should the engineers who design these tools have to concern themselves with aesthetics?

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01-03-2011, 10:01 PM	#3
6charlong friendly lurker Posts: 896 Karma: 2436026 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: US Device: Kindle, nook, Apple and Kobo	But what does this say about our eBook readers? I personally like the looks of the 3rd Generation Kindle but not the 1st or 2nd generation. I liked the looks of the Sony PRS 505 but I bought a 500 despite it's looks. Should our reviews try to assess the aesthetics of these devices? How about the appearance of the way the Publishers format the books? Are we beyond the time when we were so happy to get a 6-inch page that we excused everything else?

01-03-2011, 10:08 PM	#4
happy_terd Banned Posts: 13,045 Karma: 10105011 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Finally made it to Walmart. Device: PRS 420	Always go for looks. Style is everything.

01-03-2011, 11:31 PM	#6
bhartman36 Wizard Posts: 1,316 Karma: 1515835 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle 3 Wi-Fi, Craig CMP738a Android Tablet	I rarely consider aesthetics when I buy electronics. (That's why I've had an Archos for so long and refused to buy an iPod.) It's a piece of hardware. I'm going to, at most, type on it, not make sweet, sweet love to it. In a theoretical world where two pieces of electronics from different companies have exactly the same specs, then sure, go for the pretty one. But how often does that happen?

01-04-2011, 04:15 AM	#7
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	For me, it depends. If something is looking gorgeous, but works like **, or it will restrict my using it, I'll not buy it. (hence, I'll never buy an apple product, I can't stand their attitude). But, if something looks like **, but works gorgeous, I'll still not buy it. The eye also wants something. For everything in between, it all depends. Is it worth to pay a bit more for something I really like the looks of (such as was the case of the OP), is lacking that feature worth it, etc. I couldn't say it in general, it's something I decide on an item by item basis...

01-04-2011, 04:18 AM	#8
SolRaven Wizard Posts: 2,214 Karma: 12796976 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: The Sunshine State Device: Clara, Voyage, Oasis, Paperwhite & PRS-650	It's not who you are it's what you wear....

01-04-2011, 04:21 AM	#10
SolRaven Wizard Posts: 2,214 Karma: 12796976 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: The Sunshine State Device: Clara, Voyage, Oasis, Paperwhite & PRS-650	If my readers weren't gorgeous, I'd probably buy hard covers because hard covers are gorgeous... at least w/o the dust jackets.

01-04-2011, 02:11 PM	#11
TGS Country Member Posts: 9,058 Karma: 7676767 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Denmark Device: Liseuse: Irex DR800. PRS 505 in the house, and the missus has an iPad.	As William Morris said, "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." Of course, if it's both then that's even better.

01-04-2011, 03:03 PM	#12
desertblues Home for the moment Posts: 5,127 Karma: 27718936 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: travelling Device: various	' Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.' I like things to be challenging, interesting and sometimes that means beautiful, but it can also be ugly. Well, and if it is interesting but functions not quite up to standard; well.........(shrug).

01-04-2011, 03:27 PM	#13
wodin Illiterate Posts: 10,279 Karma: 37848716 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: The Sandwich Isles Device: Samsung Galaxy S10+, Microsoft Surface Pro	Ohhhh ... SHINY!

01-04-2011, 03:33 PM	#15
wodin Illiterate Posts: 10,279 Karma: 37848716 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: The Sandwich Isles Device: Samsung Galaxy S10+, Microsoft Surface Pro	Head for the hills! It's a chupacabra!

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